Municipal News & Jobs

Municipal News & Jobs2018-08-05T16:28:50-05:00

Kansas Municipal News

Developer brings new life to historic downtown area in Marysville

A Manhattan-based development company is setting its sights on a small town in rural north-central Kansas this year where it plans to inject life into some aging historic structures. Tyler Holloway with Frontier Development Group (FDG) has some big ideas for downtown Marysville. Specifically, he and his workers hope to transform a block of historic structures tied to the local Koester family into new living areas for local tenants called the Broadway Lofts.
Source: KSNT 27 News

City looks to put more money into Hotel Topeka, here’s why

City leaders are looking to put $291,000 more into Hotel Topeka. Following two executive sessions in a special meeting on Monday, the Topeka Development Corporation decided it will move forward with requesting another round of funding. Since the city owns the hotel, it is required to make up for any operational losses from Hotel Topeka. At the end of last year, the TDC approved the budget with a net operating loss estimated at $870,000. Since Hotel Topeka is not generating enough revenue to cover its expenses, the city needs to invest more money into the hotel to help make up the deficit.
Source: KSNT 27 News

Lawrence City Commission will stop livestreaming meetings

Despite hearing from more than a dozen people in opposition, Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-1 to stop livestreaming their meetings on YouTube. The Kansas Legislature this session passed a change to the Kansas Open Meetings Act (in HB 2134) to state that “A public body or agency that voluntarily elects to live stream their meeting on television, the internet or any other medium shall ensure that all aspects of the open meeting are available through the selected medium for the public to observe.” The law goes into effect July 1.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Groundbreaking marks new era for Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center

University of Kansas and state legislative leadership broke ground on major renovations at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center near Hutchinson on May 23, part of a bold campus master plan to support its competency-based curriculum and to expand programs to meet the training needs of partners in public safety.
Source: KU News

Municipal Bond Trends for June 2, 2025

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Lawrence City Commission might stop livestreaming meetings on YouTube

Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider adopting a resolution to no longer livestream their meetings on YouTube rather than stream the entire meetings, including the general public comment periods. The Kansas Legislature this session passed a change to the Kansas Open Meetings Act (in HB 2134) to state that “A public body or agency that voluntarily elects to live stream their meeting on television, the internet or any other medium shall ensure that all aspects of the open meeting are available through the selected medium for the public to observe.” The law goes into effect July 1.
Source: The Lawrence Times

Fire Department trains new recruits

Two new firefighters are set to join the Pittsburg Fire Department.   After two weeks of hands-on and classroom academy training, Aaron Ruth and Rendan Russell completed their final exercise on Friday.
Source: – Latest Stories

Kansas Supreme Court splits on constitutionality of drug-dog search at Wichita traffic stop

Wichita police officers Donald Bailey and Shawn Isham were watching a suspected drug house in 2020 when Gina Wilson parked a vehicle in the driveway, entered the residence, reappeared a few minutes later and drove away. The officers followed Wilson before pulling her over on Greenfield Street, allegedly for twice failing to properly use a turn signal. Wilson denied committing the traffic infractions, but informed officers she didn’t have a valid driver’s license. What happened next as Wilson stood on the curb with police officers was closely examined by the Sedgwick County District Court, Kansas Court of Appeals and Kansas Supreme Court. In the end, Wilson lost her bid to exclude evidence of a drug offense and the state’s highest court exposed a disagreement regarding constitutional rights of individuals subjected to searches and seizures by law enforcement.
Source: The Lawrence Times

These volunteers work to build and maintain JoCo’s trails, so others can hike and bike with ease

When Derek Buckridge rides a mountain bike down a trail through the woods, there’s a type of reverie that comes with putting all of his focus toward staying on two wheels. “You just kind of get lost in that blissfulness of nature and the adrenaline,” he said. “I get that (feeling) with trail building too.” As a construction supervisor for the Johnson County Park & Recreation District, that’s the type of feeling he wants to recreate for others as he supervises the building of biking and hiking trails across Johnson County. In his role with JCRPD, Buckridge helps volunteers with a local nonprofit Urban Trail Co. build and maintain the county’s system of single-track trails used by both hikers and mountain bikers.
Source: Johnson County Post

Geary County Food Pantry Opens its Doors to the Public

The Geary County Food Pantry officially opened its new facility to the public on Thursday, May 29th, welcoming a long line of guests eager to access food resources. Located in Junction City, the new 3,800-square-foot building, built by Hutton Construction, more than doubles the size of the previous location.
Source: KCLY Radio

Nearly $4 Million in EPA Grants Awarded to Clean Up Kansas Communities

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) announced that nearly $4 million in EPA Brownfields Grants have been awarded to support environmental cleanup and redevelopment efforts in Kansas. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made the announcement alongside EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy, Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Janet Stanek, and Mitchell County Economic Development Director Emily Benedick.
Source: KCLY Radio

$1.9 billion CHIPS grant denied for Kansas

Coffey County Commissioners were told that their application for $1.9 billion in Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) grant funds was denied; throwing the construction of a proposed Burlington computer chip factory into question. On May 19, commissioners heard from County Counselor Wade Bowie, II, about CHIPS funding. According to Bowie, the transition between the Biden and Trump administrations likely resulted in the denial.
Source: KSN-TV

Pittsburg fire recruits train in realistic house fire drill

An area fire department provides hands-on training, giving recruits a chance to prepare for what they’ll see in emergencies. Pittsburg Fire Department recruits entered a live house burn as part of the department’s new training initiative. Surrounding fire departments also came to observe and learn. The simulation included smoke, sirens, and fire, designed to reflect real-life situations. This approach helps trainees practice and learn under pressure, which in turn will help them become firefighters.
Source: KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com

Lawrence Tenants advocate for Douglas County ordinance for tenant right to counsel

A local renter-led advocacy group plans to present the Douglas County Commission an ordinance to guarantee tenants legal representation in eviction cases.  Lawrence Tenants hope for the ordinance to be on the commission’s agenda for consideration by August. The proposed TRTC ordinance would cover every tenant regardless of their income; cover any legal proceeding where a tenant could lose their housing or housing subsidy; provide legal representation; and require that the county contract with nonprofit legal providers for the service, according to Sprague’s presentation. 
Source: The Lawrence Times

Municipal Bond Trends for May 30, 2025

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Municipal Bond Trends for May 29, 2025

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.

Collaboration Fuels Investment in Kansas’ Smallest Rural Communities

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that in partnership with the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Kansas Health Foundation and Sunflower Foundation, the Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded $298,825 in Towns Grant funding to support 32 small-scale projects across Kansas. The funded projects are quality-of-place investments that create quick, meaningful results in rural communities across the state.
Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2025-10

Kansas law allows a school district board of education to expend funds to improve leased property. General obligation bonds may fund improvements to leased properties that are necessary for school district purposes. However, capital outlay funds may not be used to improve leased properties.
Source: Kansas Attorney General Opinions

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